Machine for making wirebound boxes



April 14, 1970 l.. M. VARGA I 3,505,179

" MCHINE IFOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed Nov. 15, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 /36 ,Ava j 36 Z Y Q INVEN zi-ZL om ATTORNEYS April 14, I197'() L.. M. VARGA MACHINE Foa MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15. 1967 April 14, 1970 L. M. VARGA y MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed upv.V 15.' 1967 April 14, 1970 1 M. VARGA 3,506,179

vMACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES 8 Sheets-Sheecl 4 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 April 14, 1'970 L.'M. VARGA 3,506,179

K MACHINE FLOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed Nov. 15, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 5v E E y April 14, 1970 l.. M. VARGA 3,506,179

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed Nov. 15. 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 lo @l April 14, 1970 l.. M. VARGA 3,506,179

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed Nov. 15. 1967 e sheets-sheet v April 14, 1970 L. M. VARGA MACHINE FORMAKINC- WIREBOUND BOXES 8 Sheets--Sheevl 8 Filed NOV. 15, 1967 United States Patent O 3 506 179 MACHINE FOR MAIIN WIREBOUND BOXES Leroy M. Varga, Dover, NJ., assigner to Stapling Machines Co., Rockaway, NJ. Filed Nov. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 683,281 Int. Cl. B271? 7 02; B25c 5/08 U.S. Cl. 227-48 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Machine for making wirebound boxes in which a hopper feeds a stack of box ends to a stapling station at which wirebound mats are wrapped around three edges of the box ends and stapling units simultaneously drive staples through the face material of the mat and into two opposed edges of the box end, whereupon the mat is reversed, and its opposite end wrapped around another box end in the stapling station and attached in similar fashion to complete the box.

This invention relates to a machine for making wirebound boxes which is particularly adapted for making open-topped boxes of the type known as flats, having rectangular ends with wirebound mats extending around the front and rear isides and bottom thereof.

The term box as used herein is intended to include crates and other containers.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide such a machine which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, but practical and reliable in operation, which can be operated easily by a single operator, and 'which is capable of sustaining a high production rate.

It is another object to provide such a machine which can be readily set up for making various sizes and styles of boxes and readily disassembled and repaired, and which will accommodate reasonable variations in the dimensions of the box parts without malfunction.

`Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of an illustrative machine embodying features of the invention, showing a typical wirebound flat being made therein.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical and longitudinal section taken generally along the line 2 2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section, inclined relative to the Vertical, taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIG- URE 2, with certain parts broken away.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are further enlarged fragmentary vertical and longitudinal sections taken, respectively, on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary vertical and transverse Ysection taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 7 7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a |vertical section taken on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9 9 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical section taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is an isometric View of the mechanism which feeds the lwire to the stapling units.

FIGURE 12 is an isometric view of the two disassembled sections of one of the stapling units.

FIGURES 13 and 14 are somewhat diagrammatic elevational views showing the stapling units at opposite sides of the` box at two stages of a stapling cycle.

3,506,179 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 As may be seen in FIGURE l, the illustrative machine is supported on a frame including a pair of upright channel members 20 inclined at an angle of approximately 30 relative to the vertical and interconnected at their upper ends by a transverse channel member 22 and near their lower ends by angle members 24 and 25. The upright members are braced by a pair of leg members 26 whose lower ends are welded to supporting feet 28 which are also welded to one end of stretcher members 30 whose opposite end portions extend parallel to and are welded to the upper surfaces of the angle members 24 and 25. The upper ends of the leg members 26 are welded to a transverse channel member 32 which is supported in spaced relation to the upright members 20 by a pair of channel members 34 (best shown in FIGURES '2 and 3) which are welded at one end to the channel member 32 and at the other end to a similar transverse channel 36 secured to the upright members 20.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, near the upper ends of the upright members 20, a transversely extending angle member 38 supports an inclined, open-topped hopper generally designated 40 which laterally supports a stack of box ends E. The hopper is formed by a pair of angle members 42 (see also FIGURE l) which are adjustably `secured to the angle member 38 to permit variation of the spacing of the angle members 42 to accommodate different lengths of box ends. The vertical anges of the angle members 42 engage the vertical edges of the box ends E in the stack and maintain their endwise alignment, While the lower edges of the box ends are slidably supported on channel rails 44 (see also FIGURE l) `which are vertically adjustable and removable to accommodate ybox ends 'of different height. The hopper extends perpendicularly to the inclined upright members 20 and thus is tipped from the horizontal by an angle of approximately 30, which causes gravity feeding of the stack of box ends lengthwise of the hopper, so that the innermost box end rests against the heads of stop bolts 46 adjustably threaded through arms 48 projecting upwardly from brackets 49 secured to the inner end-s of the angle members 42.

The stop bolts 46 are adjusted to position the box end E at the inner end of the stack in a stapling station at which it is aligned with four stapling units 50, two of which are mounted side-by-side at each side of the machine for horizontal reciprocation toward and -away from the short edges of 4the box end.

When the, stapling units are in their outer, retracted position, as shown in FIGURE 3, the box end in the stapling station is exposed at its short side edges and at Vits upper long edge so that a wirebound mat, generally designated M in FIGURE l, can be folded and placed around the box end, with the bottom section M1 of the mat against the upper long edge and the front and rear side sections M2 against the short edges of the box end (see also FIGURES 13 and 14).

To facilitate proper endwise positioning of the mat M relative to the box end, a guide assembly is provided for engaging the outer edge of the mat. As shown in FIGURES l and 2, this guide assembly includes a pair of end guide arms 52 which project upwardly from the outer ends of extension arms 54 whose inner ends are secured to main arms 56 extending upwardly from support blocks 58. The support blocks 58 are slidably sup- `;ported on rails 60 extending rearwardly from the channel member 32, thus permitting adjustment of the spacing of the end guide arms 52 from the stapling station to accommodate various lengths of boxes, the guide assembly being held in the adjusted position by set screws 62 threaded through the blocks 58 and engaging the rails 60.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the outer end of the mat M is supported at the proper level relative to the upper edge of the box end in the stapling station by engagement with the upper ends of the main arms 56, which are -braced by an interconnecting horizontal rod 64.

The mat M is normally supported so that the bottom section M1 is approximately parallel to the plane of the upper edges of the stack of box ends E in the hopper. However, where it is desired that the ends of the box be inwardly slanted (so that their upper edges are offset inwardly from lower edges to expose linger holds at the opposite ends of the 'bottoms of the upper boxes in a stack of similar boxes the mat M may be supported` so that its outer end is slightly below the plane ofthe upper edges of the box ends, as shown in FIGURE 2, whereby the box end will be stapled at the desired angle relative to the edges of the front and side section M2 of the mat.

FIGURE 2 shows the mat M with its inner end supported a short distance above the upper edge of the box end E in the stapling station, on a switch actuating assembly which includes a pair of pads 66 (FIGURES 2 and 3) supported at opposite ends of a cross bar 68 secured at the upper end of an arm 70 whose length is adjustable -by means of bolts 69 in slots 70a and whose lower end is pivotally attached by a pin 71 to a pair of rocker blocks 72 which are pivotally mounted between the inner flanges of the channel members 34 on a pin 74. The arm 70 is held in a generally upright position by engagement of its outer edge with the adjacent upper corner of the channel member 32. Secured to the upper faces of the rocker blocks 72 is a mounting plate 76 fromwhich projects upwardly a switch-actuating tab 78 positioned to engage the roller 80a of a start switch 80 mounted on a bracket 82 secured to the upper ange of the channel member 32. These switch actuating elements are normally held in a clockwise position, in which they are shown in FIGURE 2, by coil tension springs 84 whose lower ends are secured to screws 86 attached to the upper surface of the plate 76 while their upper ends are hooked around screws 88 secured to the outer face of a pusher plate 90 to be described hereinafter. Further :lockwise movement of these parts is prevented by engagement of the inner edges of the rocker blocks 72 with a pin 92 extending between the inner anges of the channel members 34.

When the parts are in this normal position, the pads 66 at the upper end of the arm 70 are positioned at such level that the bottom section M1 of the wirebound mat M engages the pads while its outer edge is spaced slightly above the upper edge of the box end E in the stapling station, as shown in FIGURE 2. Then, as the wirebound nat is pressed downwardly into proper position, as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 2, with its inner edge abutting :he upper edge of the box end, the arm 70 is pushed iownwardly, rocking the rocker Iblocks 72 and plate 76 :ounterclockwise against the resistance of the springs 34, and causing the tab 78 to depress the roller 80a of :he switch 80 and energize the motor 94 (FIGURE 1) :o initiate the stapling operations.

As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, Vthe stapling mits 50 are supported at either side of the machine )etween wire feed blocks 96 on mounting plates 98 1nd are held inwardly against the mounting plates 98 :y conventional self-locking clamp assemblies 100 mount- :d on spacer blocks 102 secured to the upper and lower :dge portions of the mounting plates 98. The mounting Jlates 98 are supported for movement transversely of :he machine on rods 104 (FIGURES 1 and 5) slidably :xtending through openings in the upright channel memaers 20 and through stop blocks 106 secured to the inner faces of the mounting plates 98 at opposite sides of the :hannel members 20.

The stapling units are driven Iby drive rods 108 Whose Juter ends are pivotally attached to bolts 110 in drive heads generally designated 112. Smce the two drive heads 112 and the associated drive mechanism at opposite sides of the machine are identical but merely reversed, only the left-hand mechanism is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

As may be seen in these gures, each of the drive heads includes a pair of parallel plates 114 which are secured to opposite sides of a spacer block 116 by screws 118. The drive head is guided laterally by a pair of guide rollers 120 between the two plates 114, the rollers 120 Ibeing rotatably mounted on studs r122 projecting downwardly from a mounting plate 124 secured to and projecting inwardly from the lower ange of the transverse channel member 22. The drive head is guided vertically by a pair of guide rollers 126 rotatably mounted on studs 128 projecting outwardly from the upper edge of the inner plate 114 and riding between the lower face of the mounting plate 124 and a rail 130 supported therebelow by a spacer block 132. The inward movement of the drive headis limited by engagement of a block 129.

(FIGURE 4) fastened to one of the plates 114 with the head of a Vstop screw 131 adjustably threaded in a flange 133 depending from the rail 130.

The drive heads thus move in straight lines toward and away from the stapling station. During the rst part of the inward stroke of the drive heads, the stapling units 50 are pushed bodily inwardly until they engage the adjacent sur face of the assembled box parts, whereupon the bodily movement of the stapling units stops and, as the drive heads continue their inward movement, the drive rodS 108 move inwardly relative tothe main bodies of the stapling units, producing the staple forming and driving operations as described more fully hereinafter. Similarly,

during the rst portion of the outward stroke of the drive heads, the stapling units move bodily outwardly to the full limit permitted by the spacing of the stop blocks 106 from the upright channel members 20, clearing the box parts for movement preparatory for the next stapling cycle.

Each of the drive heads is actuated by a drive arm 134 whose upper end is provided with a vertical slot engaged by a screw 136 threaded through one of three horizontally spaced holes 13S in the plates 114, the selection of the hole 138 depending upon the width of box being made in the machine. The lower end of each drive arm 134 is pivotally mounted in a bearing 140 secured near the outer end of the angle member 24.

The two drive arms 134 are urged inwardly by heavyr coil tension springs 142 whose opposite ends are hooked through openings in the inner edges of the arms 134. Thus the inward movement of the stapling units is powered by springs, so that any differences in dimensions of the Vbox parts being stapled are readily accommodated.

The outward movement of the stapling unit is powered by the motor 94 (FIGURE 1) coupled to a speed reducer 144 which drives a chain 146 trained about a sprocket keyed on a drive shaft 148 journaled at each end in bearings 150 mounted at the inner faces of the transverse channel members 32 and 36 (FIGURE 2) near one end thereof. Also keyed on the drive shaft 148 is a sprocket 152 about which is trained a chain 154 which is also trained about a sprocket keyed on a similar drive shaft 156 (FIGURE 3) near the other end of the channel members 32 and 36, so that the two drive shafts 148 and 156 are driven in unison. Keyed on each of the drive shafts 148 and 156 is a dual-ended rotorV arm 158 having rotatably mounted at each end a cam-actuating roller 160 which is arranged to cooperate with the cam surface 162a of a cam plate 162 fixed on the adjacent drive arm 134. Twice during each revolution of the drive shaft 156 and rotor arm 158, one of the rollers 160 engages the surface 162a of the cam plate 162 and presses the drive arm 134 and its attached drive head 112 outwardly, retracting the drive shafts 108, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Thus, as willbe explained hereinafter in the description i of the structure of the stapling units, two staples are driven by each of the four stapling units during each revolution of the rotor arms 158.

FIGURE 13 shows the position of the box parts and the stapling units at the commencement of the rst of these two stapling cycles, as the wirebound mat M is pressed downwardly into position on the box end E in the stapling station, actuating the start switch 80 (FIG- URE 2), as previously described, and causing the motor 94 (FIGURE 1) to be energized to drive the rotor arms 158. During this first stapling cycle the staples S1 formed during the previous stapling cycle are driven. FIGURE 14 illustrates the positions of the box parts and the stapling units at the conclusion of the second staple driving stroke, the box end E and the mat M thereon having been pushed upwardly between the first and second stapling cycles by upward movement of the pusher plate 90 engaging the lower edge of the box end E, so that the staples S2 driven during the second cycle are offset from the staples S1 driven during the first cycle, and the four staples driven into each of the front and rear sides of the box are spaced in the desired pattern.

The mechanism for actuating the pusher plate 90 is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. As may be seen in these figures, the pusher plate 90 is supported for vertical movement by parallel links 166 (FIGURE 2) pivotally secured at one end to the rear of the pusher plate and at the other end to a transverse channel member 168 suitably supported in the frame ofthe machine.

The pusher plate is normally maintained in the lower, retracted position in which it is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 by the aforementioned tension springs 84 connected thereto, the downward movement of the pusher plate being limited by engagement of the lower ends of the links 166 with a stop block 169 (FIGURE 2) secured to the adjacent face of the channel member 168.

Adjustably secured to one face of the pusher plate 90 by screws 171 in slots 90a in the pusher plate is a cam plate 170 which projects below the lower end of the pusher plate and has near its opposite ends inclined cam surfaces 170a and 170b (FIGURE 3) which are arranged to cooperate with rollers 172 rotatably mounted on extension links 174 on the chain 154. The spacing of the rollers 172 along the chain 154 is equal to that of the two inclined cam surfaces 170g and 170b so that the cam surfaces are simultaneously engaged by consecutive rollers to apply balanced upward forces at each end of the cam plate 170 and the attached pusher plate 90, raising them against the resistance of the springs 84 to engage the lower edgelof the box end E and raise it the desired staple pattern spacing during the interval between the two stapling cycles in the stapling of each box end.

To hold down the other box ends E in the hopper 40 and prevent their moving upwardly due to frictional engagement with the upwardly moving box end in the stapling station, a pair of hold-down bars 176 are mounted at the lower ends of support rods 178 adjustably supported on the transverse channel 22 by set screws threaded through collars 179 welded to the upper flange of the channel member 22, the inner ends 176a of the hold-down bars being positioned to clear the path of the box end E in the stapling station, while engaging the upper edges of the box ends adjacent thereto.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the extension links 174 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 174a which ride on a rail 180 secured and extending inwardly from the lower flange of the channel member 168, thus supporting the links 174 and rollers 172 against the downward reactive force imposed upon them by engagement with the inclined cam surfaces 170a and 170b of the cam plate 170.

As will be understood, the spacing of the rollers 172 on the chain 154 is equal to the distance moved by the rollers during each revolution of the drive shafts 148 and 156 and rotor arms 158, and thus corresponds to two stapling cycles. A stop switch (not shown) is arranged to be actuated by the rollers 172 and thus stop the motor 6 94 (FIGURE 1), the chain 154 and the stapling units after two stapling cycles--in other words, after the staple pattern has been completed in one box end.

The chain is stopped in the position shown in FIGURE 3, in which one of the rollers is in engagement with the raised portion of the cam surface 162g, pressing the drive arms 134 outwardly against the resistance of the spring 142 and moving the stapling units to their outer, retracted positions out of engagement with the box parts.

The box end may then be withdrawn from the hopper in the plane of the box end and in a direction perpendicular to its upper edge by merely lifting the wirebound mat M to pull the attached end upwardly. The wirebound mat is then reversed and its other end placed on another box end E which will in the meantime have advanced by gravity into the stapling station, and the stapling pattern is repeated to complete the box.

The construction of the stapling units 50 and the associated wire feed mechanisms is shown in FIGURES 6 through 12. The housing of each stapling unit is divided into two body sections 182 and 184, which are shown disassembled in FIGURE 12 and assembled in FIGURES 9 and l0. As best shown in FIGURE 12, the body section 182 is provided with a slide assembly generally designated 186 which is connected to the drive rod 108 and which includes a generally U-shaped staple former 188 and a staple driver 190. The staple former 188 projects beyond the face of the body section 1'82 which mates with the other body section 184, while the outer surface of the staple driver 190 is flush with the mating face, which is grooved at either side of the staple driver to form a staple driving channel 192.

The other body section 184 is formed to provide a relatively thin central web 193 flanked by the two legs 194 and 195 of a rocker assembly which is pivotally mounted on a pin 196 which extends through the web 193. The legs 194 and 195 are coupled together by bolts 199 etxending through tubular spacers 201 in larger diameter holes 193a (FIGURE 6) in the web 193 to cause the legs to rock in unison through a small angle. The legs are actuated by a crank arm 197 welded to the outer surface of the leg and having at its outer end a circular opening through which projects an actuating bar 198 which also extends through the similar crank arm on the other stapling unit of the pair so that both are actuated in unison. The edge of the web 193 which faces the mating body section 182 is provided with a recess 193b to receive the slide assembly 186 and permit its movement lengthwise of the assembled body sections.

As shown in FIGURES l0 and 12, the slide assembly 186 includes a roller 200 rotatably mounted in a fork 202 secured to a block 204 forming part of the slide assembly 186 and reciprocable in a longitudinal slot 206 in the body section 182. As best shown in FIGURES 3, ll and 13, during the outward stroke of the drive rod 108, this roller 200 engages a cam plate 208 adjustably fastened to the inner face of a sector gear 210 rotatably supported on a bolt 212 fastened to the wire feed block 96 associated with the stapling unit 50. This rocks the sector gear 210 outwardly, as indictaed by the arrows in FIGURE 13, to the position shown in FIGURE 13 and in full lines in FIGURE 3, against the resistance of a coil spring 213 which, as shown in FIGURE 3, is tensioned between pins projecting from the sector gears of the two wire feed units at each side of the machine.

This drives a pinion 215 which meshes with the sector gear 210 and is keyed on a shaft 216 journalled in the wire feed block 96. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 216 is a knurled wire feed wheel 218 which is coupled to the shaft 216 through a Morse clutch 220 which causes the wire feed wheel to be driven only when the shaft 216 rotates in the direction corresponding to the outward |movement of the cam 208 and sector gear 210 produced by outward movement of the drive rod 108 and roller 200.

Arranged to cooperate with the wire feed roller 218 is a pressure roller 222 (FIGURES 5, 7 and ll) on a shaf 224 which is jounrnalled in a similar Morse clutch 226 movably supported on the wire feed block 96 and which is urged toward the wire feed wheel 218 by a lcoil spring tensioned between the pin 214 and a pin 228 projecting from the end of the shaft 224. The pressure roller 222 and wire feed roller 218 engage opposite sides of the staple wire strand W which leads from a supply spool (not shown) and, as shown in FIGURE 6, passes through aligned openings in guide blocks 227 and 228 secured to the wire. feed block. The knurled rollers 218 and 222 engage the wire W with sufficient pressure to produce a slight serration of the opposite surfaces of the wire, which tends to :prevent the staples from being worked out of the box parts into which they are driven.

On each outward stroke of the drive rod 108, a length of staple wire is fed through an opening 230 (FIGURE 7) in the body section `1184 of the stapling unit, this length being adjustable by means of a stop screw 229 threaded through an arm on the sector gear 210 and engaging the outer face of the wire feed block 96 to limit the movement of the sector gear 210 by the spring 213. As shown in FIGURE 6', the length of wire thus fed is adjusted so that the end of the wire just reaches a stop plate 32 which is interposed bewteen the two stapling -units 50 at each side of the machine.

As shown in FIGURE 9, as the drive rod 108 completes its outward stroke, the outer end of the block 204 on the slide assembly 186 engages the actuating bar 198 and presses it outwardly, rocking the crank arm 197 in a counterciockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 9, about its pivotal axis on the .pin 196 with the assistance of a coil spring 233 compressed between the outer face of the leg 195 and the opposing inner wall of the mounting plate 98. This swings the opposite end of the leg 195 from the position shown in broken lines in FIGURE 9 to the position shown in full lines, causing a hardened cutter 234 (FIGURES 6 and 12) which is inset at its outer corner to move across the wire opening in the adjacent face of the hardened guide block 228, cutting the wire to the proper staple length and pushing the wire sideways to a staple forming station abutting the mating face of the body section 182, as indicated at F in FIGURES 7 and 9. In this staple forming station, the central portion of the wire extends through the outer portion of a slot 193C (FIGURE 12) in the web 193, in position for the staple forming operation.

As shown in FIGURE 7, as this length of wire is pushed to the staple forming station, it engages the bight of the staple S1 formed during the preceding inward stroke of the drive rod 108 and presses it outwardly into the staple driving channel 192 (see also FIGURES 8 and 12).

During the first portion of the ensuing inward stroke of the drive rod 108, a cam 236 (FIGURES 9 and 12) on the slide assembly 186 engages a cooperating cam surface 194a (FIGURES 6 and 12) on the leg 194, rocking the legs 'back to the position shown in broken lines in FIG- URE 9, against the resistance of the spring 233, thus removing the ends of the legs 194 and 195 from the path of the staple former and clearing the wire feed opening for the feeding of wire during the next outward stroke.

As the inward stroke of the drive rod 108 continues,

the staple driver 190 (FIGURE l2) engages the bight of the staple S1 in the staple driving channel 192 and drives the staple along the channel, its prongs being guided outwardly into the channel 192 by the inclined inner surfaces of grooves 1840 (FIGURES 6, 7 and l2) in the mating face of the body section 184.

During the nal portion of the inward stroke of the drive rod 108, the staple former 188 (FIGURE 12) engages the end portions of the length of wire in the staple forming station F and bendsl them around the outer edge of the slot 193e` to form the staple to be driven in the next cycle. As the legs of this stapie are bent inwardly toward parallel relation, they engage the inclined outer surfaces of latches 238 (FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 12) pivotally mounted on pins 242 (FIGURES 6 and 8) in recesses 184b in the body section 184 at opposite sides of the web 193, pressing the latches outwardly against the resistance of coil springs 240 (FIGURES 7 and 8) compressed between the outer faces of the latches 238 and the inner walls of the recesses 184]?. When the legs of the staple have reached the parallel position, the latches snap back outwardly under the influence of the springs 240, engaging the outer ends of the legs in notches 238:1 at the inner corners of the latches and preventing springback of the. legs. Thus the staple is completely formed and ready to bepushed into the staple driving channel 192 where it will be engaged and driven by the staple driver 190 during the next cycle.

To guide the ends of the staple wire into position against the inclined outer faces of the latches 238 and prevent them from striking the at inner faces of the latches, as the staple being formed, guide plates 243 and 244 are provided at either side of the body seetion 184, the outer edges of these guide plates engaging the ends of the wire and preventing them from moving away from the face of the mating body section 182.

' SUMMARY OF OPERATION To form a box, the operator manually places an inverted mat M in the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, with its outer end resting against the guide arms 52 and its bottom section resting on the pads 66 (FIGURE 2). He simultaneously folds its `side sections downwardly around the opposite ends of the box end E inthe stapling station at the inner end of the hopper 40, and presses downwardly on the mat to bring the inner end of the bottom section into abutment with the upper edge of the box end and to trip the start switch 80.

This causes the chain 146 to be driven through a full revolution, causing the four stapling units 50 to be driven inwardly and outwardly through two successive stapling cycles, to form and drive four staples through the side sections of the mat and into each of the vertical edges of the box end, with the box end being pushed upwardly by the pusher bar between the two stapling cycles so that the four staples are driven in a staggered relation, as shown in FIGURE 14. The chain is then automatically stopped with the stapling units in their outer positions,

y and the box end is lifted the rest of the way upwardly out of the hopper 40 by manually lifting the attached mat i'vI. The mat may then be reversed and the same operation repeated on another box end which will have moved into the stapling station in the hopper, thereby completing the 1. A machine for making wirebound boxes comprisingy a hopper for laterally supporting a stack of rectangular box ends while permitting movement of the same lengthwise of said hopper to a stapling station at which a folded `wirebound mat may be placed around the two short edges and one long edge of the box end therein, stapling units positioned at opposite sides of said stapling station to drive staples through the face material of the front and rear side sections of said mat and into the underlying short edges of said box end, drive means to operate said stapling units in unison to drive staples simultaneously at said front and rear side sections, said stapling station being open opposite said long edge of said box end to permit the box end to be pulled therefrom in the plane of said box end and perpendicular to said long edge by outward movement of the mat stapled thereto, whereupon said mat may be reversed and its opposite end similarly placed around another box end in said stapling station and stapled thereto in the next sequence of operation of said stapling units to complete the formation of said box.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said stapling station is located at one end of said hopper, and said hopper is inclined for gravity feeding of said box ends into said stapling station.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 which includes a guide assembly spaced from said stapling station in a direction opposite to said hopper a distance approximately equal to the width of said mat whereby said mat may be manually :positioned with its outer end abutted against said guide assembly to position the inner end of said mat endwise properly relative to the box end in said stapling station.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which said guide assembly includes means for supporting the under side of said mat at the outer end of said mat at such level that said mat is inclined at approximately the same angle as said hopper in proper position for stapling to said box end.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 in which said drive means is controlled by a switch arranged to be actuated by a box mat in said position. 6. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which two stapling units are positioned at each side of said stapling station and four staples are driven upon each operation of said stapling units.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said stapling units includes a reciprocating slide assembly and cooperating elements which function on the outward stroke of said slide assembly to feed a length of wire, cut said wire to staple length, and laterally advance a staple previously formed from a staple forming station to a staple driving station, and function on the inward stroke of said slide assembly to form a staple in said staple forming station and drive the staple formed in the yprevious inward stroke from said staple driving station into said box parts.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 in which said stapling units are mounted for bodily reciprocation toward and away from the short edges of a box end in said stapling station, whereby on said inward strokes, the stapling units first move bodily inwardly until they engage the box parts to stop further inward movement of the stapling units with resulting movement of said slide assemblies relative thereto during the linal portion of said inward strokes.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 in which such inward strokes are powered by springs mechanically coupled to said slide assemblies, and such outward strokes are produced by motor means connected to drive said slide assemblies against the resistance of said springs.

10. A machine for making wirebound boxes comprising a hopper for laterally supporting a stack of rectangular box ends while permittting movement of the same lengthwise of said hoppers to a stapling station at which a folded wirebound mat may be placed around the two short edges and one long edge of the box end therein, stapling units positioned at opposite sides of Said stapling station to drive staples through the face material of the front and rear side sections of said mat and into the underlying short edges of said box end, drive means to operate said stapling units to drive staples simultaneously at said front and rear side sections in a plurality of stapling cycles, said stapling station being open opposite said long edge to permit movement of the box end from said stapling station outwardly in the plane of said box end and in a direction perpendicular to said long edge, pusher means engageable with the box end in said stapling station to move said box end a predetermined staple-spacing distance, drive means to actuate said pusher means in the interval between said stapling cycles, whereby said stapling units drive at both said front and rear sides a plurality of staples having said staple spacing, whereby after stapling of said mat to one box end, said mat may be reversed and placed around another box end in said stapling station and the sequence repeated to complete the formation of the box.

lReferences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS i 132,078 10/1872 Hey et al. 227-88 913,837 3/1909 Myers 227-48 919,791 4/ 1909 Stringer 227-91 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, IR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 227-88 

